Thanks for the input! It was great and I definitely want to take the FP class, but am waiting for it to be offered at my church. They are working on the arrangements right now. In the meantime, my husband and I have started the TMM as a primer. Thanks again, your response was very enlightening.

What you're asking about is like the difference between Heinz 57 and Heinz ketchup - both great on burgers.

TMMO and FPU are both great on personal finance :)

You've gotten lots of answers and I like them! Financial Peace University (FPU) costs $100 and you get a LIFETIME membership, plus the FP revisited book, course workbook, CDs, cash envelope system and budgeting software, plus some other goodies. Dave teaches the class on DVD and then there are discussions among the people taking FPU. Honestly? I learn the principles from Dave and then learn from my friends/neighbors about how to apply the principles in my local area: good auto mechanics, where the handymen are for home repairs, how to score deals at the local grocery stores, where the local farmer's markets are, where the big garage sales are (SIXTEEN MILES, biannually in my area of TX!!), etc.

TMMO is much like sparkpeople where you get the interaction, you get access to the radio show podcasts (all three hours, available usually after 4p ET the same day). GREAT people on there, but they will speak the truth in love - regardless of whether it hurts your feelings or not. There are some warriors on that site, I tell you what!!!

If I were you, I would take the online community here (SPs Dave Ramsey Fans) and go take FPU at your nearby location. For $100 you'll get tools to work on your own financial situation in ways it's hard to describe. You'll also have people who you see on a regular basis that will help you find solutions in your local area and hold you accountable at whatever level you want to do that accountability thing. I have two couples who I lean on for my own situation and being accountable. They are TREASURE to me!!!!

The average family in FPU pays off $5600 in debt and saves up $2700 during the 13 weeks that they take the class. With that kind of financial turnaround, you then have more options about joining TMMO boards or not.

This is just my own two cents. I don't think you can go wrong with either option, you just need to decide which works best for you.

If you're purely asking about the two books - The Total Money Makeover (TMMO) and Financial Peace Revisited (FPrev) are based on exactly the same principles. FPrev was Dave's first book that he wrote as he was losing everything and going into bankruptcy. TMMO is more recent and has more success stories on the pages of the book. I find TMMO a little more "new user friendly" and FPrev great for follow up reading along with More Than Enough.

Keep up the Gazelle Intensity!

Live like no one else, so later you can LIVE like no one else

"No man in the wrong can stand up to a man in the right who keeps on a-comin." - Texas Rangers

I have read several of Dave's books, but have not attended the class. My husband does not want to participate in the program, so it is tough. We are working with saving, not spending,we have gotten out of debt due to an inheritance (Don't wish to do it this way, people! Too painful.), and I just received a budget book with the categories already written, and my husband has agreed to start on it beginning September 1! Yippee! I realize this is sort of off-thread. But this is why I can't really say which is better!

I've read both books (TMMO and FP Revisited), attended the Financial Peace University classes and I'm a member of the TMMO website/community. And honestly I recommend both. But if you can only do one, then it boils down to what stage you are at and what goals you have, in my humble opinion. TMMO was what we really needed in babysteps one and two. The online community was really helpful in spurring us on in our gazelle intensity. The forums provided a place to post our budget, get ideas for frugal living and just a ton of day by day (sometimes hourly) inspiration. Once we were almost out of debt we took FPU (just finished it this week) and that's been awesome for my husband and I in giving us vision for the next steps and really digging in deeper as we began babystep 3.

I haven't read TMM but I am in the FPU class right now (I'm actually doing it at home with DVDs) but I noticed that there is a difference with the websites. There are extra perks on the TMM website that you don't get with FPU.

Michele, a DONE girl

“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe that laughter is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.”

"Happiness doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections"

I have done both. The class was great. TMM gives a good overview, and mainly deals with just getting out of debt. FP does that plus has great info on how to invest, spend money wisely, and being in a room with several people have the same goal really makes an impact. I also feel the class gives you that gazelle intensity to get out of debt. Another nice thing about the class is that once you pay for the class you and your spouse can attend the 13 week class for free as a refresher.

If you are talking abou take Financial Peace University Classes then definatley go for it. TMM is the begining and FPU includes everything that TMM has in it. Good luck and God bless. If you go to the classes make sure your spouse goes with you. Hard to get spouse on the same page if they don't have the same level of commitment that you do.

SparkPeople, SparkCoach, SparkPages, SparkPoints, SparkDiet, SparkAmerica, SparkRecipes, DailySpark, and other marks are trademarks of SparkPeople, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this website can be used without the permission of SparkPeople or its authorized affiliates.
SPARKPEOPLE is a registered trademark of SparkPeople, Inc. in the United States, European Union, Canada, and Australia. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy last updated on October 25, 2013